Going out and about with a baby, particularly a very cute or an extremely ugly one, makes you both public property. Strangers stop to admire, question, photograph, even hijack my daughter for a cuddle on a daily basis. My very British instinct was once to turn away but by the time baby was big enough to cause chaos on an airplane, I'd worked out that the attention of strangers is most welcome. So much so that when an Etihad Airways flight attendant recently paused to cluck over the flailing bundle in my lap, I practically insisted that he take her for a wander up and down the aisle.
Something about the way he spoke to her engendered trust and sure enough, it turned out that the incredibly good-humoured man had once been a midwife. As I enjoyed a cup of tea in relative tranquility for the next five minutes, I could have pinned a medal to his chest.
Not every professional is professionally helpful, of course. I've almost rammed our pushchair into the glass-fronted doors of a five-star hotel because the smartly dressed doorman was too busy admiring his own reflection to notice my presence. Never afraid to ask for help - a travelling with kids' golden rule - I excuse me-d three times, ever more loudly, until he opened the door.
If you're truly desperate for a pair of helping hands, however, seek out a grandparent. My daughter's own live far away but many a random oldie has provided cover on our travels. I initially felt sorry for the sixty-something woman behind me on the same flight from Abu Dhabi to Athens who baby immediately started eyeballing between the headrests. The staring/smiling contest went on intermittently for the next four hours with both baby and the old woman equally entranced.
It didn't matter that the grandmother only spoke Greek, her shrieks of delight proved entertainment enough and my daughter's toothless grins the only necessary reward. I'd packed a small bag of toys for when she became bored of mouthing the "what to do if we crash" card and it remained unopened until half-way through the flight. A record.
Don't underestimate the value of youth, either, especially in an emergency. After a memorable but gruelling four-and-a-half hour ferry ride from Athens to the island of Paros, baby chose the moment that we sat down to eat our first Greek salad and souvlaki to relieve herself of three days' worth of meals into one woefully insufficent nappy. As my husband and I struggled to cope with the aftermath, stripping off clothes, going through wet wipe after wet wipe, and trying to screen other diners from the mess with the hood of the pram, the young waiter sauntered over with a plastic bag.
"Thanks," I mumbled, extremely embarrassed.
"Don't worry," said the still-spotty 20-year-old. "I'm sure it will happen to me one day."
cdight@thenational.ae
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
PROFILE
Name: Enhance Fitness
Year started: 2018
Based: UAE
Employees: 200
Amount raised: $3m
Investors: Global Ventures and angel investors
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
The Specs
Price, base Dh379,000
Engine 2.9-litre, twin-turbo V6
Gearbox eight-speed automatic
Power 503bhp
Torque 443Nm
On sale now
UAE%20PREMIERSHIP
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFinal%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%20Hurricanes%20v%20Jebel%20Ali%20Dragons%0D%3Cbr%3E%0DSaturday%2C%208.15pm%2C%20Al%20Ain%20Amblers%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESemi-final%20results%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EDubai%20Exiles%2020-26%20Dubai%20Hurricanes%0D%3Cbr%3EDubai%20Tigers%2032-43%20Jebel%20Ali%20Dragons%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ETable%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E1%20Dubai%20Tigers%2C%2033%20points%0D%3Cbr%3E2%20Dubai%20Exiles%2C%2024%20points%0D%3Cbr%3E3%20Dubai%20Hurricanes%2C%2018%20points%0D%3Cbr%3E4%20Jebel%20Ali%20Dragons%2C%2014%20points%0D%3Cbr%3E5%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Harlequins%2C%2014%20points%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
RESULTS
5pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 2,200m
Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Fernando Jara (jockey), Ahmed Al Mehairbi (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: AF Seven Skies, Bernardo Pinheiro, Qais Aboud
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: Almahroosa, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: AF Sumoud, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: AF Majalis, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Adventurous, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
MATCH DETAILS
Liverpool 2
Wijnaldum (14), Oxlade-Chamberlain (52)
Genk 1
Samatta (40)
Dirham Stretcher tips for having a baby in the UAE
Selma Abdelhamid, the group's moderator, offers her guide to guide the cost of having a young family:
• Buy second hand stuff
They grow so fast. Don't get a second hand car seat though, unless you 100 per cent know it's not expired and hasn't been in an accident.
• Get a health card and vaccinate your child for free at government health centres
Ms Ma says she discovered this after spending thousands on vaccinations at private clinics.
• Join mum and baby coffee mornings provided by clinics, babysitting companies or nurseries.
Before joining baby classes ask for a free trial session. This way you will know if it's for you or not. You'll be surprised how great some classes are and how bad others are.
• Once baby is ready for solids, cook at home
Take the food with you in reusable pouches or jars. You'll save a fortune and you'll know exactly what you're feeding your child.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Don't get fined
The UAE FTA requires following to be kept:
- Records of all supplies and imports of goods and services
- All tax invoices and tax credit notes
- Alternative documents related to receiving goods or services
- All tax invoices and tax credit notes
- Alternative documents issued
- Records of goods and services that have been disposed of or used for matters not related to business
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